Crank-case ventilation



H. C. M. STEVENS ET L May 6, 1930 CRANK CASE VENTILATION Filed Oct. 10,1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 6, 1930.

H. C. STEVENS ET AL CRANK CASE VENTILATION Filed OG'L 10, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jwuentozo Patented May 6, 1930 HERBERT c. M. mm; cartels, Eamon; Am) ROLAND anemia-mam LANSING, MICHIGAN, .ASSIGNOESTO GENERAL Morons CORPORA ION, OF, DETROIT,

f I GA A M ATMIQ .M AWAB .cimnroAst-gvnn'rnnrron This. invention relates to crankcase ventilation and has to do particularly with the crankcase ventilating system for i an internal combustion engine of an automotive vehicle.

It is wellknownthat fouling of ,t-hexcrank-l case results from the escape of the products of the combustion chamber between the piston and cylinder walls into the. crankcase. It 7 is an object of the present invention to remove the escaped gases through the walls of the crankcase just below the lowest position of the lower edge of theflpiston andbefore they have become, mixed with the crankcase lubricantt It is a further object of theinvention 'to provide such ;a ventilatingsystem V which will be operatedby thesuction of-the intake manifold. The particular advantages of this arrangementare that there will always he suction to operatethe ventilating system when the engine is running and=the ventilating current ofair will begdisposedof by being passed through the combustion chambers of the engine. 1

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course "of the follow nline 2-2 of Figure 4.

Figure 3 is a similar View taken along the line 33 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section, partly'brb ken away, of an internalcombustion engine embodying our invention, taken on the line 44 of'Figure 2.

Figure 5 is atransverse vertical section,

with parts broken away,-of amodified form of our invention.

Referring to the drawings, we have llustrated a vertical L-head internal combustion engine comprising theengine block 10 and oil pan 12. The engine block is cast to provide a manifold 14 extending along one side of the cylinders 16, the manifold 14 connecttl e, carburetor 130;

- Application fiied octo'ber 10, 19 27 Serial No; 325,216. a ."J' I ingwithj an inlet opening 18 isyproalong the'side of cylinders 16opp0site the manifoldli is a manifold 22, the manifolds 14' and 22 being connected bymeansofconduits '24 provided between adjacent cylinders and around the end ones. An outlet 25 is provided on one side of the-casting and connects with the flexible air inlet tube '28 leading to Circumferentially arranged about the base or; lower part of the wall of each cylinder adjacent thelower edge of the piston '32 when in its lowest. position cylinders and connects the ports 34.; A groove38 is provided aboutthe lower part of each cylinder and is provided with openings 40 so that oil that may splash through the ports 34 1na ydrain back into the crankcase. Any usual ordesiredopenings may be .provided foradmitting air to the crankcase, or the crankcase maybe keptfclosed. During the operation ofthe enginea current of air passes from the nianifoldle to the manifold 22, part of this passing through the conduits 2 4 and partthrouglrthe apertures 34:.

The relative proportionspassing through .thesetwopartsmay be varied at will by varying the size of the conduits. 24 and the size and number of; the openings 34. A current is thus maintained across the base of the cylinder andthis current removesescaped combustion'chamber products before they-become mixed with the crankcase oil. It will beunderstood that the manifold 22 may be connected with the side chamberll if desired, and the airsupply forthe carburetor drawn from this chamber, if there appears to be a too high consumption of oil. A p In the modification illustratedin'Figure 5, the ventilating system is shown as applied .to an engine comprising an engine block and crankcase 52. In this constructionthe vided with an aircleaner 20. ,,.Extending are a plurality' of ports 34 which connect the 7 ,two manifolds .withthe crankcase. .A groove .3 6 extends about the inside of the base of the 7 engine bl-ookis'provided with 'portsv54 adj aif centthe base of, each cylinder andarranged 'in continuations fthe Walls thereof: 1n this modification the manifold 22, side chamber 7. 11, and air inlet opening 26 are all connected.

The structure otherwise conformsto the description of the principal embodiment.

WVe claim: I

1. In an internal combustion engine including a plurality of cylinders and a crankcase, conduits located betweenthe cylinders and open on one side to the air andontheother side connecting with engine air jacent the lowerpa rt ofeach, piston atits lowest position and communicating with said conduits.

2. In an internal combustion engineinnecting with the air intake; a conduit located between adjacent cylinders and connecting said manifolds, said cylinders being providedv with apertures adj acent the lower part of each piston in its lowest position and connecting with said manifolds. r

4. In an internal combustion engine ineluding a plurality of cylinders and a crank- -case, said cylinders having apertures adjacent thejlower portion of each piston in its lowest -'position-,-conduits located between adjacent cylinders adjacent said apertures and open; ing' on one' sideto the air, a manifold on the other side connecting with the conduits and apertures and connecting with the engine air intake, and means adjacent said apertures for conducting any escaped lubricant back intosaidcrankcase.-

5.; In an internalcombustion engine includinga plurality of-cylinjders and a crank- "case, connecting compartments adjacent the base of each cylinder and open on one side to theai'r and connecting on the other side withjasource of suction,sa-idcylinders being PIOVlClQd with openings' leading from the compartments into the enginecrankcase.

intake, the, cylinders being provided with apertures adcase, connecting compartments adjacent the base of eachcylinder and connecting onone side with the engineair intake and on the other open to the air, the engine being provided with 'circumferentially arranged openings in thewalls of each cylinder connecting the compartments with the crankcase, the walls being provided with grooves on the inner side connecting said apertures.

8, internal combustion engine including a plurality of cylinders and a crankcase,

"a ventilating system for the crankcase ineluding a port for admitting air to the crankcase, and a suction passage provided with a portion extending between adjacent cylinders, a port in the cylinderwall establishing communication between; the crankcase and said passage," an'dmeans forapplying suction to saidpassage.

9. An internal combustion engine having a cylinder and a crankcase said cylinder be- 1 ing provided withopposed apertures in the wall thereof adjacent the crankcase, and

,meansfor passing a stream of air. through said aperturesacrossthe baseof the cylinder to remove vapors-from. the cylinder prior to their admissionwto-the crankcase.

1O.- An internal combustion enginehaving a cylinder and a crankcase, thewa-lls of said cylinder being aperturedat the end adjacent the crankcase, means for applyingsuction to said apertures to remove vapors from the crankcase,said cylinder being provided with an annular ltrougl about-its base adapted to t receive oil passing outwardly through said I apertures, and a port connecting said trough with the crankcase to return oil thereto.

In testimony whereof weaffix'our signatures; HERBERT C. M. STEVENS.

ROLAND V. HUTCH'INSON. 7

6. In'an; internal combustion engine ineluding a plurality of cylinders anda crankcase, connecting"compartments :adjacent the baseof each cylinder and OPBII5OI1'OI16 side *to the air and connecting on the other side with a source of suction, said cylinders beii-ng provided with-apertures connecting the compartments with the crankcase, and said engine being provided withadditional openings be'low said apertures for conducting escaped lu'bricantback into said'c'rankcase.

" "7. In an internal combust on engine in- 'clu'ding*a plurality of cylinders and a 'crank- 

